Man arrested on charges of threatening Rep. Jim McDermott

Charles Turner Habermann, 32, was arrested on charges of threatening a federal official, according to the Seattle Times.

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The Times reported that the criminal complaint against Habermann detailed two phone calls he placed to McDermott's office on Dec. 9, in which he said that founding fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson would "blow [McDermott's] brains out" if they met him.

"He's a piece of human filth. He's a liar, he's a communist, he's a piece of [expletive] garbage," Habermann said, according to the complaint.

Habermann was reportedly angry over McDermott's opposition to extending tax cuts for high-income earners. The California man also is alleged to have threatened to kill McDermott's family and friends.

The arrest comes as lawmakers have adopted a heightened sense of security following the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) at a meet-your-congresswoman event last weekend.

Giffords was critically wounded in a shooting spree that left six dead and 14 wounded, including herself.

Members of Congress have met with law enforcement officials this week to determine ways to enhance security for public appearances.